Jacket for phonograph records



Oct. 24, 1961 A. CHAPLIN JACKET FOR PHONOGRAPH RECORDS Filed May 27, 1960 IN VEN TOR. AQ TAM/E CH4 PL //V York Filed May 27, 1960, Ser. No. 32,424 4 Claims. (Cl. 206-62) This invention relates generally to a unique jacket, container or envelope for phonograph records, and this application is a continuation-in-part of my copending patent application Serial No. 16,478, now abandoned.

While the container construction of the present invention has been primarily developed for use as a phonograph-record jacket or envelope, and will be illustrated and described hereinafter with particular reference thereto, it is understood that the instant invention is capable of many varied applications, all of which are intended to be comprehended herein.

As is well-known to those versed in the packaging of phonograph records, such packaging is unsatisfactory for many reasons, including the lack of durability under normal handling conditions, frequent breakage of the package resulting in damage to the contained record, lack of protection afforded the contained record even in an undamaged condition of the jacket, susceptibility of inadvertent removal or falling of a record from a jacket, the inconvenience and difi'iculty involved in the use of an inner sleeve or bag within the jacket, and for other wellknown reasons.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel jacket construction for phonograph records which overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages, effectively resists wear throughout a long useful life to afford greater protection to contained records, eliminates the difficulties attendant upon the use of a separate inner sleeve, snugly cradles a received record at its edges to prevent shifting and consequent surface damage within the jacket, effectively excludes dust, dirt, and other foreign material from the jacket interior, and which enables packaged records to be evenly stacked in horizontal superposition in greater numbers Without excessive pressure on or damage to the contained records.

The instant invention further contemplates the provision of a phonograph-record jacket having the advantageous characteristics mentioned in the preceding paragraph which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and pack, is inherently attractive in appearance and capable of any desired surface decoration, and which is extremely simple, easy and convenient for use by a consumer in the withdrawal and reinsertion of a phonograph record with respect to the instant jacket construction.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and refern'ng to the accompanying drawings, which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope will be indicated by the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the elements of the instant jacket construction in an exploded condition;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view showing a finished jacket construction of the present invention, broken away for clarity of understanding, and illustrating in dotand-dash outline a record contained within the jacket;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 33 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 44 of FIG. 2.

3,005,544 Patented Oct. 24,- 1 961 Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and specifically to FIG. 1 thereof, there is illustrated therein a pair of generally rectangular, substantially congruent outer walls 10, which may be fabricated of cardboard, or other suitably stiff resilient, sheet material. A plurality, namely three elongate spacer strips are shown at 11 and 12, being two side spacer strips 11 and one lower spacer strip 12.

An inner envelope, generally designated 14, may be fabricated of paper, cardboard, or other suitable sheet material. The envelope 14 may be integrally formed, including a pair of generally rectangular walls 15 and 16, hingedly connected together along their adjacent lower edges, as by a fold line 17. The walls 15 and 16 are swingable about the fold line 17 into facing relation with respect to each other, and in such relation-are of a c0nfiguration similar to but smaller than each of the outer walls 10. As will appear presently, the walls 15 and 16 define inner walls in the assembled jacket.

Along each side edge of the wall 15 there is provided a glue flap 18, which flaps are substantially coextensive with the respective adjacent side edge. Hingedly connected to the wall 15, along its upper edge by a fold line or crease 19 is a closure flap 20. The closure flap 20 may be further provided with a plurality of fold lines or scores 21 extending along and parallel to the fold line 19 to afiord additional flexibility to the flap. The free flap edge 22 is convexly arcuate or curvilinear, and of a configuration approximately corresponding to that of a bowed outer wall 10, as will appear presently.

The wall 16 has its upper edge 24, remote from the lower-edge fold 17 of a concavely arcuate or curvilinear configuration generally the same as that of edge 22.

In the assembled condition of FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, it is 'seen that the outer walls 10 are disposed in substantially congruent, parallel spaced facing relation, with the spacers 11 and 12 interposed between and adhesively secured to the facing surfaces of the outer walls. More specifically, the lower-edge spacer 12is interposed between and extends along the lower edges or margins of the walls 10, being adhesively secured thereto, while the side spacers 11 each are interposed between and extend along a respective adjacent pair of side edges of the walls 10, being adhesively secured thereto. In FIG. 2 it is seen that each of the side-edge spacers 11 extends, from an adjacent end of the lower-edge spacer 12 to the upper edges of the walls 10. Thus, the spacers 11 and 12 serve to secure the outer walls together along their adjacent lower and side edges, while leaving the adjacent pair of upper edges open or unsecured.

The envelope Walls 15 and 16 are disposed in facing relation, and the glue flaps 18 are folded over and secured, adhesively or otherwise, to the outer, or nonfacing surface of the wall 16, each flap being substantially coextensive with the adjacent side edge of the wall 16. In this condition, as the flaps 18 are on the outside of the envelope 14, it will be appreciated that the interior of the envelope is completely smooth and unobstructed, as seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. Also, the flaps 18, as well as the lower edge 17 of the envelope 14 provide flexible connections between the envelope walls 15 and 16.

The envelope 14, with its walls 15 and 16 flexibly connected together, is arranged interiorly, conformably received within the space between the outer walls 10. Further, the envelope 14 is arranged between the outer walls 10 with the lower edge 17 extending along and just slightly inward of the lower-edge spacer 12, and the side edges each extending along and just slightly inward of the sideedge spacers 11. The external or non-facing surfaces of the inner or envelope walls 15 and 16 are disposed in facing engagement with the internal facing surfaces of the outer walls 10, and respectively adhesively secured to the latter. As .may be seen in FIG. 2, 'the'inner wall 16 is provided with adhesive 25, on its outer surface for securement to the inner surface of the adjacent outer wall 10. The adhesive 25, as well as similar adhesive on the outer surface of the inner wall 15, maysubstantially completely cover the inner walls, but is preferably absent from the marginal regions of the inner Walls to leave the marginal regions free of the outer walls for flexure. In this way, the side and lower margins of the envelope 14 remain flexible, and are secured to the innersurfaces of the outer walls 1t It will be noted that the upper edge or told 19 of the envelope 14 extends along and proximate to the upper or open edges of the outer wall and, the flap 20 is swingable between its phantom position shown in FIG. 3 extending between and externally beyond the upper edges of outer walls 10, and its solid-line position folded over a record 27 and inserted in snug frictional engagement between the record and the outer wall 10 remote fromthe inner'wall 15. In this inserted condition, with the flap 20 frictionally engaged between the front outer walls 1!) and the record 27, it is noted that the convexly arcuate flap edge 22 is disposed in adjacent edge-to-edge relation with the concavely arcuate inner-wall edge 24,

see FIG. 2. Thus, the major portion of the flap 20 in its frictionally engaged or inserted condition is substan- :the record is retained in substantially dustp'roof condition within the package.

Notwithstanding the security thus afiorded to the contained record, the record may be quickly and easily removed from the package when desired.

It is merely necessary to slightly bow the outer walls 10, as by moving the upper regions of the side edges slightly toward each other. The flap edge 22 is configured to conform to the bowed configuration thus formed of the front outer wall 10 to facilitate outward swinging and withdrawal of the flap to its extended open condition, as

shown in phantom in FIG. 3.

From the foregoing, it is seen that the present invention provides a jacket or container for phonograph records which fully accomplishes its intended objects and is Well-adapted to meet practical conditions of manufacture, packing, distribution and use.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be made within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A phonograph record package, said package comprising a pair of outer walls, spacer means securing said outer walls together along certain of their adjacent edges to leave one pair of adjacent edges open, a pair of facing inner walls interposed between and respectively secured to said outer walls, flexible means inward of said spacer means securing said inner walls together along certain adjacent edges of said inner walls to leave one pair of adjacent inner wall edges open in alignment with the adjacent open edges of said outer walls, a record interposed between said inner Walls and flexible means, and a flap secured to and extending along one of said open inner 7 wall edges, said flap having a free edge insertable in frictional engagement between the opposite outer wall and said record received between said inner walls.

2. A package according to claim 1, said free flap edge being of a convexly curved configuration conforming to one of said outer walls upon outward bowing thereof, to

facilitate insertion and removal of said flap into and out of interposition between said record and opposite outer Wall.

3. A package according to claim 2, said other open inner wall edge being concavely curved for conforming edge-to-edge relation with the free edge of said flap when the latter is inserted in said frictional engagement.

4. A package according to claim 1, said flap being provided with fold lines extending parallel to said open edges to facilitate insertion and removal of said flap with respect to said frictional engagement.

Markowski Sept. 11,1945 Gianninoto Mar. 28, 1950 

